Category Archives: Landscaping

Actually, there are a number of reasons people choose to build an Asian inspired patio in their yards. With their beauty and timeless appeal, Asian-style patios offer serene style that will enchant viewers and enhance your home.

(C) homedesignlover.com

Most homes would have a patio for it is one way to make the outdoors space more useful. It can merely be a garden with a paved area, an outdoor dining area, a wooden decked seating area, or just whatever the homeowner wants to have for its outdoor area. Whatever is the use of the patio, it sure is one space that immediately becomes one of the homeowner’s favorite because of how it unites with nature.

Today, we will show you some beautifully designed Asian-themed patio designs.

Expect to see some sculptures that are totally Asian – wood, bamboo, and other elements. We are sure that you will love these patios especially how they are lighted and decorated.

In the end, pick your favorite patio design and tell us why you love it!

Architectural Photography

That wall sculpture in this garden became the focal point of the area as it set a dining table and chairs for outdoor dining and bonding.

St. Croix Residence

This small patio has a garden that will make one feel relaxed because of its Zen feel.

Ruess St.

A wooden patio with a bench and planter in one. That wall decor on one side stroked that Asian look.

I’ve been searching a lot of backyard pond designs these past few days and I found some amazing design ideas from this article. Would probably start this project next week. If you are looking for some pond designs for your garden, you can check out this article.

All backyard ponds are a type of man-made water feature that have a primary focus on aquatic plants, although many larger ponds may contain ornamental fish, like koi.

Not all plants are suitable for planting near or in a backyard pond, however. You’ll need to grow plants that are best adapted to shallow pools and ponds. The type of plant you add to your pond will depend entirely on how deep and large your pond is.

The types of plants best suited to pond life fall into three distinct categories: submerged plants, marginal plants, and floating plants. Submerged plants are those that live almost completely under the surface. Some of these plants have leaves or flowers that grow to the surface, like a water lily. These plants are also called oxygenators, because they create oxygen for any fish in a pond.

Marginal plants live with only their roots under the water. Examples of these are irises, lotus flowers, cattail reeds, or bulrushes.

The third type, floating plants, are not anchored into the soil at all, and are free-floating at the surface of the water. In a water garden, floating plants are used to reduce algae, as the shade they provide inhibits the growth of algae. Floating plants are usually fast-growing and multiply quickly.

Backyard ponds may contain many different elements that help integrate it into the overall design of the yard’s landscaping, including fountains, statues, waterfalls, and boulders.

When someone likes their house to get that added appeal, landscape designers are employed to accomplish and experiment unique landscaping ideas for the delight and convenience of the family. Landscaping ideas are the fundamental ideas that the designers bear in mind while planning the landscape. Listed below are some of the guidelines from the landscaper itself.

1. Plants in Landscaping Ideas
Choice of plants are by far the most important in landscaping. Plants that must definitely be picked have to well adapt to the environmental and climate condition in your area.

(C) Houzz.com

2. Rocks in Landscaping Ideas
Additional eye-catching feature in landscape are the rocks. They don’t just increase elegance but also help plants to get moisture beneath the stone in dry times.

3. Landscaping Tips for Contractors
Another significant thing to consider is finding the best landscaper that will deliver your wants. They have to be imaginative and have in-depth expertise in plants, soil and different environmental circumstances.

4. Energy Efficient Landscaping ideas
A well positioned fence, tree and other elements in landscaping can help the whole family in their energy consumption since a single shade could provide a cooler effect to the residence.

5. Environment Friendly Landscaping ideas
It is recommended to make use of the view of the sky or big trees as the background for your scene and to structure your home.

6. Fire Resistant design for Landscaping ideas
Fire problem is one of the most unsafe concern that one should consider. A properly landscaped property can be a great defense for outlasting wreckage or damage.

7. Habitat Restoration and Landscaping
Preserving native biodiversity across diverse landscapes is vital for the continuous stability and management of our surroundings.

8. Landscape Design
The landscape designs must be mutually agreed by the landscaper and the client. It must not be just gorgeous but is likewise useful to everyone.

9. Landscaping Plans
Landscaping is undoubtedly an art. It is something that takes serious amount of time, effort, and patience to carry out. A landscape could become a masterpiece if this is planned and performed correctly.

10. Landscaping Maintenance
Maintenance is one thing that must be done efficiently. The blossoming flowers or the green trees cannot be only neglected without proper care.

Landscaping concepts also varies with the location of the area. In China, landscaping ideas came from with Feng Shui, which is interpreted into English as ‘wind and water’ which is used to describe a couple of common principles for the planning and development in relation to the natural landscape. In Europe, the history of landscape design concepts could be traced to the work of Vitruvius.

Landscaping design must well planned. The best ideas come with the fluid imagination of both the designers and home owners. Landscape planners are concerned with the ‘health’ along with the attractiveness of the landscape.

I didn’t realized that gravels and stones are important for landscaping. And aside from that, choosing from lots of stones can be a bit overwhelming. They have different sizes, colors, shapes and functions. This article I’ve found will help you decide in choosing the best gravels that would suit your landscape.

I love rock in the garden, but I particularly love gravel and other small rocks. I work them into nearly every design I create for my clients, as well as in my own landscape. Why the love affair with gravel? It serves many purposes, from solving drainage issues to lending textural appeal; it crunches under your feet; and it comes in many different colors and forms. Check out my favorites and see which one will work for you in your landscape.

Decomposed Granite

(C) Pinterest

The basics:Decomposed granite, or DG, is a granitic rock that has weathered to the point of breaking into very small pieces and silt-like particles. It comes in a reddish-tan color that will fade to a lighter tan over time. Decomposed granite is ideal for pathways and rustic patios, and can also be used as a topdressing around arid plants. It’s sold by the cubic yard.

Cost:DG is sold by the bag for around $3 if you simply need to add to or fill in a small area, or by the cubic yard for $35 to $50. One cubic yard (a 3-foot cube) will fill the back of a standard pickup truck.

Advantages:It’s relatively inexpensive and readily available.

Disadvantages:It can track inside on the bottom of your shoes, so if you have hardwood floors, you might want to take your shoes off after walking on a DG pathway. It’s also difficult to remove weeds when they get out of control.

I’m planning on putting up a landscape on my backyard but on a tight budget. Then I came across at this article which helps me stick to my budget. Wow what a coincidence!

(C) Beeyoutifullife.com

Landscaping doesn’t have to be an expensive investment. There are a lot of affordable projects that will make your garden look beautiful this spring. There are also many ways to make them last for years to come, so you don’t need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on maintenance costs. This year, take the initiative and make some affordable landscaping changes to your front and backyard to set yourself up for seasons to come.

#1 Choose perennial plants – $10 to $50 Perennials save you money because they come back every year, whereas annuals have to be replaced every year. Perennials can last for years and sometimes require less maintenance. They come in various colors, shapes, and sizes. You can invest in perennial flowers or shrubs, depending on what you need. Some perennials to choose from include:

Catmint

Saffron

Daisies

Sage

Poppy

Lavender

Agave

#2 Plant more native species – $10 to $100
To keep maintenance down, lean towards putting more native species in your landscape. Native plants have acclimated to the climate conditions, which means they need less care. This also means they don’t attract pests or problems that exotic species do. To learn what plants are native to your area, check with a local nursery or a lawn care professional you trust. They will know what to recommend. Landscaping professionals, in particular, can look at your soil conditions and how the sun hits your lawn to determine which plants will thrive best.

For most things in this world, natural is the foremost solution to use. Even so, it is not a rule which is globally accurate, because there are a few situations in which the synthetic choice is actually a better solution – take synthetic grass for instance. Artificial turf can fill out for the genuine thing in every circumstance, whether it’s a playground or a backyard, the front lawn of an office park as well as indoor space.

A. Easy to maintain: If you’re a busy person and have limited time in taking good care of tasks like keeping your lawn, therefore synthetic grass is ideal for you. The synthetic turf is crafted from resilient materials, that’s why it could be an expensive expenditure at first. Yet in the long run, its cost will pay off since you won’t have to use much effort on watering, mowing and maintaining it. It will also withstand all climate conditions from the lowest temperatures to the hottest and driest of conditions.

(c) syntheticgrassnsw.com.au

B. Multipurpose: Synthetic grass is not just limited to your lawns. It could also be utilized in several other functions. It truly is perfect for dog kennels since it can’t be dug up and can be easily cleaned. It could be placed for decorative uses in any area of the house. In this alone, you’ll be persuaded that synthetic grass is an excellent expenditure as it is multi-functional and you’re only limited to your own creativity. Irrespective of the intended usage though, you can be sure to find artificial turf to suit.

C. Green option: Without a doubt, it is environmentally friendly these days of water scarcity to choose synthetic grass. You won’t need water on a regular basis and also no fertilizer is being used in the upkeep of synthetic grass. It is additionally a great option for big, lush lawns which are used to host events. The lawns don’t require a lot of maintenance.

D. Ideal for golf courses and sports clubs: Where the deterioration is more as well as the strain on grass is remarkably high, it makes more sense to set up synthetic grass. It’ll stay green forever. It is great for the undulating surface of golf courses. It could be easily washed and won’t attract dust, insects and fungus. You can use fake grass very easily for bowling greens for the same easy maintenance perspective.

E. Ideal for landscaping around pools: Synthetic grass has good ground cover in the splash back section of swimming pools. This doesn’t allow mud and dirt to accumulate so the pool remains clean. Regardless of what the weather is, it always remains green and won’t ruin or dirty the pool area.

With all these many advantages, it is no wonder that artificial grass is growing well-liked nowadays.

Fencing serves several functions in landscaping. It can be used to keep animals in (or out), to make visual interest, to offer security and privacy, or to keep individuals and animals from trampling on fragile landscapes. Different utilizes need several types of fencing. When making a decision in relation to fencing materials, there are numerous conditions to include. It would be a blunder to pick a fencing materials solely based on the initial cost. Other factors could include maintenance, durability, and visual benefits. Why then should someone choose vinyl fencing? Listed below are some benefits associated with vinyl which can justify a higher cost than wood.

Vinyl has 5 times the strength of wood. In other words, it can take 5 times the amount of pressure to break vinyl because it takes to break wood the exact same size.

A vinyl fence is flexible and does not snap or break in strong winds therefore it is ideal for fencing material if you are living somewhere where high winds and unpredictable weather can be a problem.

You can also find many different colors that happen to be digitally incorporated into the extrusion process which implies the time and money that you’d have spent painting/staining your wood fence will probably be spent to more worthwhile. This feature on the fence offers superior color retention and longer-lasting color.

The base ingredient of vinyl is rigid PVC changed to offer outstanding impact strength and ultraviolet resistance. This formula is a history of providing long-term durability and architectural integrity. Therefore it can stand up to extreme climate conditions as compared to wood.

It is safe for the environment, kids, and pets. Since it is created from high quality PVC, there aren’t any toxic chemicals involved in the processing. You must have no worries about airborne or ground-borne toxins.

A lot of vinyl fence have at least 20 years or even life time warranties, they can be less expensive over time and are really worth the initial investment that you make on them

Despite the fact that wooden fences and chain link fences are not entirely out of fashion, the most modern trend is doubtlessly vinyl fencing.

Vinyl fencing are available at most home improvement centers across the country or through numerous online retailers.

Vinyl is becoming one of the most well-liked fence types. Vinyl is flexible, long lasting, cost-effective, and virtually maintenance free. Even though your investment is much more higher at first than for a wood fence, this is where your expense ends! The cost difference is quickly eliminated as soon as the significant expense of continuous maintenance of a wood or metal fence is considered. Regardless if you are looking for added protection and privacy, or searching for fencing that will add to the value and curb-appeal of your property, there is a vinyl fence design for you. Choose fencing that is certainly worry free!

Whether you are preparing to lay out a flower bed in your garden that is covered with grass and sod or setting up a new landscaping element to your garden, sod removal is essential. Sod refers to the section of your lawn ground that is held together by grass and matted roots.

If you are thinking about turning an area of lawn into a garden bed, your first step will be to get rid of the grass. You can take different routes to accomplish this: Those that yield quick results can require considerable effort, while less labor-intensive methods may take at least a season to produce results. Here are four techniques for turning well-established turf into a bed ready for planting. Each method has its pros and cons, but all will get you one step closer to the bed you’ve been dreaming of.

1. DIG

Digging up grass may reveal harmful insects, such as Japanese beetle grubs, which you’ll want to remove.

This method produces quick, clean results and allows you to plant your garden immediately. But using a spade or fork to remove sod can result in a lot of sweat and sore muscles. If the sod is in good condition, you can use it elsewhere in your yard.

Water the area a few days ahead of time to make the soil easier to work. The soil should be moist but not soggy. Saturated soil is not only heavy but also susceptible to compaction, which leads to poor plant growth.

Cut the sod into parallel strips 1 foot wide using an edger or sharp spade. These strips can then be cut into 1- to 2-foot lengths, depending on the density of the turf and the thickness of the pieces. Next, pry up one end of a piece of sod and slide the spade or fork under it. Cut through any deep taproots, and lift out the precut piece, making sure to include the grass’s fibrous roots. If the underside of the sod contains much loose soil, a fork may work best, as this soil can be shaken back onto the surface when the sod is lifted.

Roll up the strips if you skip the crosscut step, and keep peeling the strip back. Keep in mind, though, that these rolls will be heavy. If you are installing a large bed, consider renting a sod cutter. These steel-bladed, plowlike tools are more efficient than spades for large jobs, and they come in human- and gas-powered models.

Inspect your new bed’s subsoil (and the underside of the sod if it will be reused). Once the sod is gone, look for and destroy potential pests, such as the larvae of May/June beetles. Remove any rocks, remaining clumps of grass, and sizable roots.

Are you aware that every year huge amount of money is allocated to lawn care and gardening? Sure, that’s right, billions of dollars and most families believe that it is money that’s well spent. The sad part is the fact that a portion of the money spent on lawn care is actually wasted. The waste comes from the mistakes committed by the homeowners in terms of lawn care. If you’re a homeowner and you have a lawn, then it is highly likely that you will be also guilty of committing a few of these mistakes.

– Using wrong mowers

Picking the right mower can certainly be a challenge. There are so many types, brands, and models available to buy, how could you choose the right one? Each will have different features that will fulfill each individuals needs in a different way. You need to have your own research so as not to end up in a wrong purchase. Don’t use wrong mower for your lawn.

– Not cleaning the mower

It’s also a huge mistake when home owners tend not to clean the mower since dirt and other debris can cause rust and corrosion. Not forgetting, dirt also affects the efficiency of mowers. So, it is imperative to clean the mower to prevent costly maintenance.

– Using dull blades

Dull blades are often over looked yet it can have a major impact on the appearance and health of your lawn. Correct this issue and your mowing gets easier while saving you time and effort. What we’re referring to here is your mower blade being dull as a butter knife.

– Mowing at a very low height

Many make the mistake of cutting their lawn shorter than they should. This is not healthy or beneficial in any way. Short-cut lawns expose surface roots to the hot sun, which may dry out and die in no time at all. Not just that, weed and insect may attack since the grass is stressed and weak from being over cut. As a general guideline never ever remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade. Depending on your lawn type, more or less can be cut-off.

– Ignoring maintenance

Ensure the mower you will use is well-maintained. Keep your blades sharp – have them sharpened monthly or at least twice a year. Adjust the mower’s deck height to about 3 inches. In no way neglect the deck’s underside as well. If possible, after every use, clean out the clippings and debris. This helps maintain the machine’s cutting quality and in addition it prevents rusting.

By understanding all these, homeowners can prevent lawn mowing mistakes that can reduce their finances.

Once you decide to build a fence, there are a number of other decisions to be made. The height and type of your fence will depend on whether you would like it to create privacy or merely outline an area of your home. Its length will be decided by the size of the area you would like to enclose. Local zoning rules will allow you to figure out where to place it on your property. The biggest decision, however, is exactly what material to make use of.

Though there are a great deal of selections for fence, Cedar, known for its aroma, appearance and strength, is one of the most widely used woods for fencing and other uses. Custom cedar fence may be built to meet what the customer wants also. Fencing in a yard or property involves finding the right material for the project. Take a look at some of the benefits of installing a cedar fence. This natural wood could be surprisingly resilient, withstanding abuse from weather and insects for many years.

A cedar fence has a classic look that harmonizes with any kind of form of architecture. All metal chain links look exactly the same. There is nothing worse than driving past an attractive home and seeing one. A wood fence having a rich, reddish-blonde tint is unique. It can be used to create a picket, stockade, vertical board, board and batten, or any style to suit your architecture. Every single style looks good in cedar.

Decks look good in cedar, additionally; you’ll be able to build your fence with cedar to coordinate with your deck. Any kind of outdoor structures could be coordinated with this attractive wood. Envision your backyard with a terraced deck, storage shed, and four-foot picket, all in a wood that will fit the look of your house. Your premises value will be increased if you complete all of these projects in the same material.

After installing a cedar fence, you can rest assured the structure will continue to be strong and eye-catching for years. This material withstands damage that may happen from wind and moisture, because it won’t rot or decay. This particular wood will not warp or shrink over time. When the time comes to replace this barrier, you can even enjoy its environmental friendliness, as it is totally biodegradable.

Another timesaving part of using cedar is it doesn’t require stain or paint. The natural oils in the wood protect it without any additional sealing or coatings. As soon as you place your stockade up, it’s going to be very low maintenance. While your neighbor starts every spring painting his pine pickets, you won’t be joining him – unless you want to offer him a hand.